Push-button switch.



J. E. KETTEMAN. PUS H BUTTON SWJTCH. APPLICATION nusn FEB-'24. I917.

- Patented June 18, 1918.

' INT/EN JOHN E. KETTEMAH, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO.

PUSH-BUTTGN SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1918.

Application filed February 24, 1917. Serial LTo. 150,636.

To all whom it may concern Be it 'known, that I, JOHN E. Kn'rTnMArI, a citizenof the United States,"and a res1- dent of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and tate of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Push-Button Switch; and I do .hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to electric push-outto produce a switch which may be closed by the operation of a push-button and released by a snap action which is controlled by an engaging member. Other advantages and features will appear from the description hereinafter appended and from the drawings forming a part hereof. To illustrate the practicability of my invention I have selected a construction that contains the invention, it bein understood that the structures containing .t e invention may partake of different forms. The construction selected is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of a lamp socket having in its base one form of switch containing my invention( Fig. 2 illustrates a sectional view through the lamp socket; Fig.3 is a top view of the lamp socket showing the cap removed. Fig. 4 is a sectional'view taken on the line 44 indicated in Fig. 3. .Fig. 5 is a side view of the push-button. Fig.v 6 is a view of a modified form of a construction containing the invention.

In the form'of construction selected for purposes of illustration, lis a lampsocket,

contained in any'other form of construction. The switch is provided with a spring cllfifilct member 2. 3. is a coacting contact mam which makes contact with the sprin ,lgcontact member 2 to close the circuit ofhthe switch. In the form of the invention shown, the contact member 3 is located on a rod 4, the contact member 3 forming a head connected to the rod 4. The rod 4 is connected with a push-button 5 of insulating material through a block 6. The rod 4, the block 6 and thepush-button 5 move in a sleeve 7. A

sprin 8 is located intermediate the inwardly exten i'ng edge 9 of the sleeve 7 and the block 6. When the spring 8 is pushed inward by the pressure of the block 6 the compression of the spring 8 will cause'tlie return of the block and consequently the return of the push-button 5. The push-button 5 may be pushed inward to cause contact between the head 3 and the spring 2. Ifdesired, the push-button 5 may be ushed inward and allowed to returmthereb mittent current to pass through the circuit which is closed by the operation of the switch.

Means, however, may be provided for holding the switch closed against the action of the compression spring 8. The sleeve 7 is located in a sleeve 10. The sleeve 10 is provided with a spring-dog 11 which is connected to the sleeve 10, or is formed of the same metal ofwhich the sleeve 10 is formed. The head 3 is provided with a. channel 12. The dog 11 has a slightly returned end 13 which may enter the channel 12 when the head 3 is moved far enough by pressure on the push-button 5. When the end 13 of the dog 11 enters the channel 12, releasement of therpush-button will cause the contact 3 to be held against the return action of the spring 8 and of thespring contact member 2. o

If, however, it is desiredto release the switch from the dog 11, the .push-buttonb may be pushed in .a short distance so as to raise the dog 11 out of ornearly out of the channel 12 and then upon sudden releasement of the push-button 5 the springs 8 and 2 will cause the head 3 to snap by the dog 11 and 0on sequently open the switch.

. f Means may also be provided for positively engagingthe switch so as to hold the conit being understood that the switch may be: tact irieiirbaiilingplosed relation. This may y causing 1 the lamp to flash, that is, permit an interswar be done by pushing the push-button 5 inward so that the head 3 will pass the spring dog 11 and so that the spring-dog 11 will drop behind the head. 3 and engage the head. Thus the switch will be held closed.

In order that theswitch may be opened,

. head 3 will be swung away from the dog in order toprevent the shell 7 from being moved away from the dog 11 oy the action of the dog 11 itself on the head 3, a spring 16 may be cut from the shell 10 which presse against the side of the shell 7 to hold the head 3 or red 4 against the dog 11. To push the,

shell 7'about its pivot and away from the dog 11 "a push-button 17 maybe located in the socket. It has a rod 18 that extends through an openin formed in the shell 10.

lhe push-button 1 may be returned by 2.

compression spring 19. When the pushbutton 17 is pressed the shell 7, together with the rod 4- and the head 3, is pushed from.

the dog 11, which permits the contacts 2 and 3 to be separated by the snap action or" the spring 8 and the spring 2', and thus the curcuit connected to the contact 2 and the car p is located in a block 21 of insulating material. The form of construction shown in Fig. 6 is a wallswitch, and means is pro- ,vided for swingin the shell 7 so as to release the head 3 'rom the dog 11 to open the cireuit formed "by contact between the spring 2 and the head 3. The shell 7 is proqided with a knob or head 22 through which the push-button 5 extends. The push-- button 5 may be operated in closing the switch by pushing the contact 3 against the contact-2 sufficiently to produce connection without engagement of the head 3, or it may bepushed inward sufiiciently to be engaged by the dog 11 entering the channel 12, or

may be pushed in suificiently for he dog 11 to all in-behind the head 3 to retain the switc inits closed position. When it is desired to open the switch the head-22 may be moved laterally, thus swinging the shell 7 eboutits pivot and releasing the head 3 from en agement with the dog, whereupon the spring 8 will cause a return movem nt i the head 3 and thus open ti 1 switch maybe opened by latethe push button 5 without lateral pressure on the head 22, but inasmuch as there is liable to be friction between the finger and the push-button 5 upon the return movement of the push-button 5 by the operation of the spring 8, the quickness of the outward movement is apt to be reduced and. arcing caused. A quick snap action opening the I switch, however, may be obtained by proper lateral pressure and releasement of the push-button Inasmuch, however, as the switch is for use by unskilled persons, the head 22 con-- nected to the sleeve 7 to swing the sleeve 7 away from the dog 11 and thus leave the push-button free'to move outward, is found to be a preferable form of construction.

1 claim:

1. In a push-button switch, the combination of a fixed contact, spring-pressed memher having a coacting contact, a spring-dog for engaging the spring-pressed member when the spring-pressed member is pushed to a certain point, means for causing the dog to release the spring-pressed member by further movement of the spring-pressed memher and sudden releasement of the spring pressed member. Y

2. In a push-button switch, the combine tion or" a fixed contact, a spring-pressed member having coacting contact and a channel, dog for entering the channel toengage the sprin g-pressed member when the spring- 'pressed member i s pushed to a certain point,

the spring-pressed member being released from the dog byfurther movement of the spring-pressed member relative to the dog and sudden releasement of the springpressed member.

3. In a puslrbutton switch, the combinationor a spring-pressed member supported for lateral and longitudinal movements,a

dog for engaging the spring-pressed member when the spring-pressed member is moved longitudinally, and until thespring pressed member is moved laterally".

i In a push-button switch, the combination of a spring-pressed member mounted for longitudinal. and lateral movements and yieldingly held against said movements, a dog for engaging the member, and means for releasing the spring-pressed member from the dog by lateral movements oi the member.

5. In apushbutton switch, the combinatlon of a spring-pressed member, a shell, a second shell containing the spring-pressed member and pivotally supported in the firstnamed shell, dog for engaging the springpressed member. 1

In a push-button switch, the combine tron of a spring-pressed member, a shell, 2.

second shell containing the spring-pressed member and pivotally supported in the first- Wm shell, a dog for engaging the springz-ez'nbcr connected to the first- 13o named shell, and means operating on the shell for releasing the spring-pressed member from the do 7. In a pushutton switch, the combina- 5 tion of a spring-pressed member'having a channel, an elliptical shell, a second shell pivoted to the first-named shell and for containing the spring-pressed member, a dog locate ton the first-named shell for engagingt-lthe sprinfi-pressed member, and means for moving 1', e shell to release the springpressed member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed myname to this specification.

J OHN, E. KETTEMAN. 

